by Rick Shepard

Created on: December 24, 2009

While many governors do much for their respective states, certainly no state executive has accomplished more than Joe Manchin in West Virginia.

Joe Manchin III, West Virginia's 34th Governor, was first elected in 2004, won his second term in 2008 and currently holds an extremely rare 80% approval rating in the state.

Manchin is known not only for his integrity and honesty but for being very interested in the plight of the people of West Virginia. In 2006, during the mining accident at Sago Mines that garnered national attention by trapping 13 miners for two days and claiming the lives of all but one, Manchin rarely left the area and could often be seen talking with and comforting the miner's friends and family.

After a separate incident a month later claimed two more miners, Manchin ordered a state-wide work stoppage to review safety processes in the mining industry.

Manchin's also popular in the business community. West Virginia has long had a reputation as hostile to business interests, but under Manchin, the state has cut franchise and corporate income tax rates and is currently working to reduce lawsuit abuse.

He's also worked to cut the state's budget, privatized worker's compensation and paid down the state's unfunded pension liabilities.

Manchin's pro-free market stance has even earned him an A rating from the libertarian Cato Institute, one of only three such grades and the only one for a Democratic Governor. Considering that West Virginia consistently ranks near the bottom in all meaningful economic indicators, this award takes on even greater meaning.

While Manchin has been in office, the state has created over 23,000 jobs and attracted over $8 Billion in private business investment. West Virginia even led the nation in economic growth from March to August of 2008. (wv.gov.org)

Before being elected Governor, Manchin served as Secretary of State. During his term, the office regularly received high marks for customer service, promoted democracy education in the public school system and registered over 42,000 high school students to vote.

Manchin is a life-long West Virginian. He was born in Farmington and attended West Virginia University on a football scholarship where he graduated with a degree in information management.

He also has had extensive experience in several family businesses before entering politics. Manchin has been married for 41 years to his wife Gayle and has 3 grown children. Manchin is also an avid outdoor enthusiast, motorcyclist and licensed pilot.

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